Machine for casting metals under gas pressure

ABSTRACT

A machine for casting metals under gas pressure of a four-column design is provided. It includes an intermediate plate which is disposed between a bottom plate and a movable plate with a metal duct fastened to it. This closes tightly the reservoir for the melt. Fastened by known means to this plate are the fixed part of the casting mould and the housing sealing it, by means of which and of a connecting element of known design and the attachment of the housing to the movable plate a rigid connection between the plate and the transfer cylinder, disposed on the top plate is achieved by means of the piston rod, connected rigidly to the movable plate.

Unite States Patent Alexandrov et al.

MACHINE FOR CASTING METALS UNDER GAS PRESSURE Inventors: Alexander Damyanov Alexandrov;

Todor Kostov Trifonov; Stefan Ivanov Stefanov; Paskal Spasov Apostolov; Mincho Borislavov Deshev, all of Plaven, Bulgaria Nipki Leyarska Technika, Pleven, Bulgaria Filed: Sept. 1, 1972 Appl. No.: 285,661

Assignee:

Foreign Application Priority Data Sept. 2, 1971 US. Cl. 164/306; 249/205; 249/165; 249/166 Int. Cl B22d 17/06 Field of Search 164/308, 309, 306, 119, 164/77, 6, 7, 255, 319, 321, 62, 363, 63,

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Bulgaria 18483 1,999,961 4/1935 Daesen et a1. 164/119 2,105,586 l/l938 Daesen et a1. 164/113 3,548,922 12/1970 Carlsen 164/309 3,643,732 2/1972 Carlsen 164/309 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 901,807 11/1944 France 164/306 365,318 12/1922 Germany 164/309 53,497 6/1945 France 164/306 Primary Examiner-Francis S. Husar Assistant Examiner-V. K. Rising Attorney, Agent, or FirmArmstrong, Nikaido & Wegher [5 7] ABSTRACT A machine for casting metals under gas'pressure of a four-column design is provided. It includes an intermediate plate which is disposed between a bottom plate and a movable plate with a metal duct fastened to it. This closes tightly the reservoir for the melt. Fastened by known means to this plate are the fixed part of the casting mould and the housing sealing it, by means of which and of a connecting element of known design and the attachment of the housing to the movable plate a rigid connection between the plate and the transfer cylinder, disposed on the top plate is achieved by means of the piston rod, connected rigidly to the movable plate.

3 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures MACHINE FOR CASTING METALS UNDER GAS PRESSURE BACKGROUND or THE INVENTION This invention relates to amachine for casting metals and alloys under gas pressure, and particularly to a machine in which the displacement of the melt from the reservoir to the casting mould is performed-under the action of gas pressure. The closing system of the machine is used for balancing the'force, resulting from the pressure in the reservoir for the melt.

Machines for casting under gas pressure are known, in which the reservoir for the melt is tightened independently by means of a separate cover and connecting elements, dimensioned with regard to the working pressure of the process gas. Access to the the furnace (i.e. to the reservoir for the melt) for carrying out service and repair work is provided by removing the superstructures by tilting or lateral displacement by means of special hydraulic cylinders attached to the machine, or by moving it to the side by means of additional handling equipment.

It is the main drawback of this design, that the provision of an access to the furnace (i.e. to the reservoir for the melt) requires'the most of additional special mechanisms, and this results in an increase in weight and complexity of control of the machine, and consequently increase in price. Furthermore, a large number of bolt connections must be unscrewed for opening the cover of the furnace, reducing thereby the capacity of the machine and making practically impossible to use it for casting special alloys requiring a metallurgucal treatment directly before the casting process itself.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore a general object of thepresent invention to avoid the drawbacks of the afored'escribed machines by providing a machine for casting under gas pressure, in which rapid and easy access to the furnace is provided for carrying out servic'e' and repair work. The access is provided using the available transfer, closing and other systems.

This object is achieved, according to the invention, by adding to a vertical machine of known four-column design, comprising a bottom plate, a movable plate and a top plate, on which a transfer cylinder for moving the movable plate is attached, in which all plates are connected by four columns. The addition is an intermediate plate, which is disposed between the bottom and the movable plate, which is used simutaneously as a tight cover for the reservoir for the melt, as well as for fastening the fixed part of the casting mould and the housing closing it tightly. The sealing of the reservoir for the melt and the balancing of the gas pressure in it are effected by the force of the transfer cylinder or, in the case of great forces, by a special sealing mechanism of known design (e.g. a wedge or a toggle-lever mechanism), which is provided for sealing the casting mould. In order to provide a rigid connection between the bottom plate, the reservoir for the melt and the intermediate plate, which is needed for balancing the force when separating the mould and stripping the casting from its fixed bottom part, the intermediate plate is pressed against the reservoir for the melt by means of a wedge mechanism. To disengage the furnace for carrying out service and repair work, the intermediate plate and the movablerplate are coupled to the two halves of the casting mould; to the sealing housing, or are directly coupled. The wedge locking of the intermediate plate to the columns is released, and the intermediate plate,

casting mould and movable plate are lifted to a required height by means of the transfer cylinder. Thus, the furnace space is exposed, providing an access to the molten metal. The furnace automatically lifted by spring dampers, on the bottom end of which castor wheels are attached, running in special grooves in the bottom plate extending outside the plate by rails and can thus be pulled out of the machine.

. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention may be better understood when explained with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a general view of the machine;

FIG. 2 is a section along AA, according to FIG. 1, showing'the mechanism for locking the intermediate plate to the reservoir for the melt;

FIG. 3 is a section along BB, according to FIG. 1, showing the spring damper for lifting and displacing the reservoir for the melt.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The reservoir for the melt 3 is disposed between the bottom plate 1 and the intermediate plate 4, and its sealingin each working cycle is effected by the elastic seal 5 and the force of the gas pressure is balanced by the transfer cylinder 11, attached rigidly to the top plate 10 and connected to the movable plate 9 by means of its piston. This force is transmitted from the intermediate plate 4 to the casting mould 7 or the sealing housing 8 respectively, the movable plate 9, the cylinder 11, the fixed plate 10 and to the columns 2.

'In' order to provide a continuous rigid connection during operation of the system bottom plate 1, reservoir'for the melt 3 and intermediate plate 4, necessary for balancing the force when separating the casting mould 7 and stripping the casting from the fixed part of the mold, the intermediate plate 4 is pressed against the reservoir for the melt 3 by means of a wedge (locking) mechanism, disposed on the upper surface of the intermediate plate on two opposite columns 2. The wedge mechanism consists of wedges l5, guided in parallel guideways l4, driven progressively by a system of regulable in length rods 16 by means of sleeves l7 and a handle 18, supported on one of the columns 2. The lifting of the reservoir for the melt 3 until its bottom separates from the bottom plate 1 at a heigth a and its pulling out of the machine for carrying out service and repair work is effected by means of four spring dampers with castor wheels, attached to the outer wall of the reservoir for the melt. They consist of the castor wheel 19, supported on an axle on the guide 20, and a cylinder 21, attached rigidly to the reservoir for the melt 3. Disposed in the cylinder is the spring 22, regulated in dependence of the mass of the reservoir for the melt by means of a disk 23 and a screw 24.

The operations for pulling out the reservoir for the melt to perform service and repair work and treatment of the alloy are performed, according to the invention, in the following order:

By means of the transfer cylinder 11 the movable plate 9 is displaced in its bottom position, in which both halves of the casting mould 7 or the housing 8 sealing it, respectively, come into contact. The handle 18 of the locking mechanism is turned to the unlocked position and the wedges are pulled out of the grooves in the columns 2 by means of the bars 16. Both halves of the casting mould 7 or the housing 8 sealing it are connected, or the movable plate 9 and the intermediate plate 4 are connected directly by means of a connecting element 6 of known design, and by the back stroke of the transfer cylinder 11 the movable plate 9, casting mould 7 and intermediate plate 4 with the metal duct 12 fastened to it, are lifted to their top position. The lower end of the metal duct 12 stops at 40-50 mm above the jointing plane of the reservoir for the melt 3,

and the reservoir for the melt 3 is lifted by the action of the springs 22 of the spring dampers with castor wheels to the heigth a and is pulled out of the machine along the grooves in the bottom plate 1 and the rails 13. The pushing back of the reservoir for the melt 3 into the machine in its initial working position is performed in the reverse order.

, What we claim is:

1. An apparatus for casting metal comprising:

a. pressurized reservoir means for a melt;

b. intermediate plate means positioned above said reservoir means, said intermediate plate means including a metal duct means extending into said reservoir means;

c. mould means positioned above said intermediate plate means, wherein said metal in said reservoir means passes into said mould means through said metal duct means;

d. column means having slot means therein;

. movable plate means positioned above said mould means in a mould sealing relationship with said intermediate plate means, and locking means comprising guides fixed to said intermediate plate means and wedge means mounted on said column means, said wedge means being forced between said intermediate plate means, said slot means and said guides;

f. transfer cylinder means for holding said reservoir means, intermediate plate means, mould means, and movable plate means in the sealing relationship against the pressure in said reservoir means such that the pressure forces said melt into said mould means; and,

g. column means for supporting said intermediate plate means, said movable plate means, and said transfer cylinder means, said transfer cylinder means comprising a top plate fixed to said column means, a cylinder fixed to said top plate, and piston means extending from said cylinder and coupled to said movable plate means, said intermediate plate means and said movable plate means being movable on said column means.

2. An apparatus for casting metal comprising:

a. pressurized reservoir means for a melt, said reservoir means including a reservoir and reservoir support means, said reservoir support means comprising a cylinder fixed to said reservoir, spring means within said cylinder, and castor means operably connected to said spring means to raise said reservoir;

b. intermediate plate means positioned above said reservoir means, said intermediate plate means including a metalduct means extending into said reservoir means;

c. mould means positionedabove said intermediate plate means wherein metal in said reservoir means passes into said mould means through said metal duct means;

d. movable plate means positioned above said mould means in a mould sealing relationship with said intermediate plate means;

e. transfer cylinder means for holding said reservoir means, intermediate plate means, mould means, and movable platemeans in the sealing relationship against the pressure in said reservoir means such that the pressure forces said melt into said mould means; and,

f. support means for supporting said intermediate plate means, said movable plate means, and said transfer cylinder means, said intermediate plate means and said movable plate means being movable on said support means.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said spring means are adjustable. 

1. An apparatus for casting metal comprising: a. pressurized reservoir means for a melt; b. intermediate plate means positioned above said reservoir means, said intermediate plate means including a metal duct means extending into said reservoir means; c. mould means positioned above said intermediate plate means, wherein said metal in said reservoir means passes into said mould means through said metal duct means; d. column means having slot means therein; e. movable plate means positioned above said mould means in a mould sealing relationship with said intermediate plate means, and locking means comprising guides fixed to said intermediate plate means and wedge means mounted on said column means, said wedge means being forced between said intermediate plate means, said slot means and said guides; f. transfer cylinder means for holding said reservoir means, intermediate plate means, mould means, and movable plate means in the sealing relationship against the pressure in said reservoir means such that the pressure forces said melt into said mould means; and, g. column means for supporting said intermediate plate means, said movable plate means, and said transfer cylinder means, said transfer cylinder means comprising a top plate fixed to said column means, a cylinder fixed to said top plate, and piston means extending from said cylinder and coupled to said movable plate means, said intermediate plate means and said movable plate means being movable on said column means.
 2. An apparatus for casting metal comprising: a. pressurized reservoir means for a melt, said reservoir means including a reservoir and reservoir support means, said reservoir support means comprising a cylinder fixed to said reservoir, spring means within said cylinder, and castor means operably connected to said spring means to raise said reservoir; b. intermediate plate means positioned above said reservoir means, said intermediate plate means including a metal duct means extending into said reservoir means; c. mould means positioned above said intermediate plate means wherein metal in said reservoir means passes into said mould means through said metal duct means; d. movable plate means positioned above said mould means in a mould sealing relationship with said intermediate plate means; e. transfer cylinder means for holding said reservoir means, intermediate plate means, mould means, and movable plate means in the sealing relationship against the pressure in said reservoir means such that the pressure forces said melt into said mould means; and, f. support means for supporting said intermediate plate means, said movable plate means, and said transfer cylinder means, said intermediate plate means and said movable plate means being movable on said support means.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said spring means are adjustable. 